Black-necked Crane - WWF-India

Except for Kyun Tso 1 Kyun Tso 2
and Pangong Tso, the species was
recorded at all the other wetlands.
Three new nesting sites, including
Yaya Tso were also recorded
during the same period. Yaya Tso
at an altitude of 4820 m earns the
distinction of being the highest
breeding site of the Black-necked
Crane in India.
During 2003, 60 birds were
recorded which included 50 adults
and 10 chicks.
In 2004, 64 birds were recorded
which included 51 adults and
13 chicks.
Wetland-wise Observations
TSOKAR BASIN
The Tsokar basin consists of two
lakes – Tsokar and Startsapuk Tso.
These are located in the vast open
plains which are at a little distance
from the Leh-Manali road about
150 km. from Leh. Tsokar is a salt
water lake and Startsapuk Tso
is a freshwater lake. Both these
lakes are connected to each other
through a small channel. The water
of the freshwater lake Startsapuk
Tso drains into Tsokar through this
channel. There are a large number
of nomads who keep moving
around these wetlands as these
provide very good pastures for
their livestock.
The nomads living around the
lake have a very effi cient system
of pasture management. They do
not use these pastures during the
summer months when they move
away to far off places and use these
pastures only during the winter
months. This pattern of use of these
pastures is strictly enforced by the
community and during the summer
months at least two individuals from
Crane Observation at Tsokar Basin (Tsokar and Startsapuk Tso)
Month/Year Adults Nests Eggs Chicks Total No.
of Cranes
Reference
Jun 1919 3 Ludlow 1920
Jun 1924 3 Osmaston 1925
May - Jun 1926 4 Meinertzhagen 1927
May - Jun 1980 4 Gole 1983
Jun 1982 2 Nurbu 1983
Jun 1983 2 Hussain 1985
Sept - Oct 1992 4 Chacko 1992
May - Sept 1995 3 Pfister 1995;
Chacko 1995
Apr - Sept 1996 3 1 1 0 3 Pfister 1996;
Chacko 1996
Jun - Oct 1997 4 1 2 0 4 Pfister 1998;
Chacko 1997
May - Oct 2000 2 1 2 2 4 Present study
May - Oct 2001 4 2 2 2 6 Present study
Apr - Dec 2002 4 1 2 — 4 Present study
Mar - Nov 2003 4 2 4 — 4 Present study
Apr - Nov 2004 4 1 2 1 5 Present study
each family stay back as guards,
rotating their guard duty the entire
summer season. The pasturelands
are thus allowed to regenerate
during the summer months so that
they can be used during the winter
months, when grass is scarce.
From the biological point of view
with respect to avifauna this is very
advantageous as all the biological
activity, especially nesting and
raising of chicks by different species
of birds occurs during the summer
months. By the time the nomads
start using these pastures the birds
are ready to fl y to their wintering
grounds.
Earlier Records
It is in the Tsokar basin where
the cranes were fi rst discovered
in Ladakh. The fi rst discovery of
Black-necked Cranes in Ladakh
was made by F Ludlow in 1919 at
Tsokar on 2 June (Ludlow 1920).
Later on Osmaston visited this
wetland in June 1924 and reported
three cranes from the area. In May
and June in 1926 Meinertzhagen
recorded four cranes from the
area. In June 1982, Chering Nurbu
recorded two cranes in this wetland.
In 1992 Chacko recorded four
cranes in this area. In 1995 and
1996 Chacko and Pfi ster surveyed
this wetland and recorded three
cranes from the area each year.
In 1997 Chacko and Pfi ster
again visited this wetland and
recorded four cranes from the
area (Pfi ster 1998).
Tsokar
Tsokar is located at an altitude of
4582 m above the sea level. This
salt water lake used to be a source
of salt for the local people. But in
the last few years the people are
unable to extract salt from the
lake because of fl ooding of the
particular area from where they
Ladakh Region India | 2000-2004 29